Overall revenues for all salon industry services (hair, skin, nails) plus salon retail grew 3.2%, according to the new 2015 Professional Salon Industry Haircare Study from Professional Consultants & Resources, the leading salon industry strategic consultants and data source. Total U.S. salon services and salon retail sales grew by 3% to $60.27 billion. There were nearly 294,000 U.S. salons and barbershops using and selling salon haircare products. Salon count declined by 2.5%, as large rental suites opened. The study features illustrative graphs/charts to make data user-friendly.

“The state of the professional salon industry is strong, with an upward growth curve and changing dynamically,” says Cyrus Bulsara, president of Professional Consultants & Resources. “Major economic barriers affecting the salon industry are fading, as innovative new products, salon suites and new management at top manufacturers bring new vitality. Manufacturer sales of haircolor, shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, hair styling products and specialty products all increased. We also saw a major paradigm shift toward large family economy chains and rentals. Most rentals still do not retail effectively. Therefore, product sales at mega-salon stores like ULTA increased. Diversion continued to fulfill consumer demand for professional products.”

Haircoloring remained the all-important anchor service at U.S. salons, attracting clients for other services like cuts, styles, straightening and others. Haircoloring services were up nearly 4%, due to an aging baby boomer population plus robust new demands for fashion haircolor, including blonding, highlights, baby-lights, balayage, ecaille, ombré/sombré, vibrants and pastels. Keratin straightening services grew at around 3.2%. Cutting and styling services grew at 2.6%, as the frequency of client visits to salons increased slightly.

 A major paradigm shift continued from independent salons and mid-tier mall chains toward family-economy chains and suite rentals, plus high-end men’s barbershops. All salon industry sectors should note this dynamic and market, sell and educate these new prime targets.

 Sales at two major U.S. distributors grew, with CosmoProf’s sales up 4.2% and sales at L’Oréal’s SalonCentric up 4%.

• Sales at Regis stabilized, as the company continued to study divesting high-end brands to concentrate on value brands and test rentals.

• Great Clips and Sport Clips both registered 9.8% and 17% growth, respectively. Both family-economy franchise companies are well run.

 Styling product sales increased by mid-single digits, as consumers continued home hairstyling, facilitated by new genres of styling tools.

• Sales of specialty products, including those for hair loss, shine, thermal protection, etc. grew rapidly thanks to new intros at 7%, led by sales of oils like argan, macadamia, marula, rose and diamond.

• Sales of shampoos and conditioners primarily for use at backbar grew at low single-digits, as women shampooed less often and turned to dry shampoos.

Cue the confetti and hot pink glitter! Blo Blow Dry Bar, the beauty franchise that is a leader in the blow dry bar category, announces that it has hit a major milestone with the recent sale of its 100th Blo franchise.

Who better to guide and educate the 7,000 stylists in the 1,200 Ulta Beauty locations, and lead the salon services business, than two of the industry’s most in-demand, business-savvy, artistic and creative stylists—who also happen to be best friends? In this exclusive interview with Nick Stenson and Ammon Carver, learn how these shifts will impact stylists, the Ulta Beauty shopping and salon experience, and the professional beauty industry.

Live from the Matrix Destination 2018 main stage, eight-time Grammy winner Fergie, shared that the big win for a new Matrix contest is the chance to assist celebrity stylists to color and style Fergie and her dancers’ hair at an upcoming concert in New York City. Get the details here.